Scrubbing machine



Dec. 1, W.

J. HERR SCRUBBING MACHINE l 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed vDec. 13, 1923"""IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII w llifllllllllllllllllIIIIIIIHH 1w;

INVENTOI? UNITED I JOHN HERB, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

SCRUBBING MACHINE.

Application filed December 13, 1923. Serial No. 680,290.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN HERB, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State ofPennsylvania, have invented an Improvement inScrubbing Machines of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to scrubbing machines which are adapted forscrubbing and washing floors and the like, and it has for its generalobject to provide a machine of simple construction which is efiicient inoperation and which is not likely to get out of repair. I

It is an object of the invention to provide a scrubbing machinecomprising a couple of circular scrubbing brushes arranged side .by sideand each having rocking connection with the base or frame of themachine.

It is also an object of the invention to provide an improved'and novelconstruction of means for connecting the said brushes to the said baseorframe A further object of the invention is to provide an improved andnovel constructionof means for securing an electric motor to the .saidbase or frame.

Other objects and advantages of the in- .vention will be pointed outv,in the detailed description thereof which follows or will be apparentfrom such description.

7 In order that the invention may be readily understood and itspractical advantages fully appreciated; reference should be had to theaccompanying drawings in which I have illustrated one form of mechanicalembodiment th reof. However, it will be understood that changes may bemade in the details of construction within the scope of the claimswithout departing from the said invention.

. .'In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a view partly in top plan and partly in horizontal section ofascrubbing machine embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is'a view in side elevation of the same, a portion only of thehandle being shown;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1;and V Fig. {1 is a similar view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the top, 2 the bottom and 3 theside portions or walls of the base or frame of the machine embodying myinvention. The side of suitable non-metallic material 4 whichconstitutes a buffer so that in the use of the device, if the edgescontact with furniture or with any other object, there is no injurythereof.

An electric motor 5 is mounted upon the top of the base or frame portionpreviously referred to. The bottom or header 6 of the said motor whichis detachably connected to the main or body portion of the casing of thesaid motor is provided with outwardly extending triangular brackets 7,the flaring arms 8 of which are connected to the top portionl of thebase or frame by means of screws 10. The central portions of thesebrackets are provided with openings 12 which register with openings 13in the top 1 of the base or frame. For the purpose of oiling theinterior portion of the structure which will be hereafter referred to,oil cups 15 are provided which extend through the central portion of thebrackets 7 and through openings in the top 1.

The bottom 2 of the base or frame structure is provided with openings 20through which the downwardly projecting portions 21 of the hubs 22 ofgears 23 and 23 extend. These hubs 22, in the construction shown, areformed separately from the outer annular portions of the gears and thesaid annular and hub portions are connected together by rivets 24. Theupper sides of the hubs 22 are hollow and are provided with annularshoulders 26 within which are seated the outer rings of the ball bearingstructures 27. The said ball bearing structures are held in place byflat rings 30 which are secured by means of screws 31 to the upper sidesof the hubs 22. The inner rings of the ball bearing structures surroundand are rigidly connected with boss-like members 35 which are situatedunderneath and in contact with the top one. VVa'shers 36 are located incontact with the lower ends of the boss-like members 35 and their edgesoverlap the inner rings of the ball bearing structures 27'. The saidwashers and boss-like members 35 are held in position by means of headedbolts 37. The heads of said bolts bear against the under sides of thewashers 36 and the upper screw threaded end portions thereof projectthroughthe openings 12 and 13, previously referred to. Nuts 39 upon theupper ends of the said bolts operate to'cause the heads of the saidbolts to clamp and hold the boss-like members 35 in contact with the.under side of the top 1. The ball bearing structures 27 together withthe boss-like members 35, bolts 37 and nuts 39 operate to support thegears 23 and 23 in place within ,the casing formed by the parts 1, 2 and3 of the base or frame of the structure.

A worm pinion 40 secured upon the'lower end portion of the shaft 41 ofthe electric motor 5 is in engagement with the gear 23 so that rotationof the said motor shaft causes rotation of the gear 23. The latter is inengagement with the gear 23 from which it follows that rotation of thegear 23 causes rotation of the gear 23.

'Dhe portion of the shaft 41, directly above the worm pinion 40, issupported in a ball bearing structure 42 mounted in an opening 43in theunder side of the detachable bottom 6 of the motor casing.

Each of the downward-1y pirojectingpor- I tions 21 of the hubs 22 isprovided wlth a depending tapered spindlle 50 which extends through acylindrical opening 51 at the center of the base 52 of a brush 53. Thesaid base 52 of each brush is provided with a couple of openings54'situated upon the opposite sides of the cylindrical opening 51 intowhich extendtapered projections 55 which project downwardly from theportions 21 of the hubs 22. The diameters of the pro jections 51 areconsiderably less than the diameters of the openings 54 in consequenceof which a considerable amount of rocking motion of the brushes 53 withrespect to the spindles 50 is permitted. This is desirable in case themachine is being employed for scrubbing or washing a surface which isuneven. The ability or capacity of the brushes to rock permits them toadjust themselves to the surface over which the machine is beingoperated even though such surface shall] be uneven. The brushes areretained on the spindles 50 by means of cotter pins 56.

The casing of the motor is also provided with brackets or feet withwhich a. frame 61 is adj ustably connected by means of bolts 62. Thelower end of the frame 61 is provided with arms 63 within openings ofwhich a shaft 64 is journaled. Wheels 65 are mounted upon the oppositeends of the said shaft which wheels, inthe operation of the machine,'areshaped a short distance from the surface which is being washed. Whenhowever, it is desired to move the machinefrom one place to another itmay be tilted soas to support the same upon the said wheels with thebrushes 53 elevated from such surface.

For the purpose of operating the machine, that is, pushing or pulling itin one direction or the other over the surface to be washed, I- haveprovided a handle 67 which is connected with the central portion of theframe 61. A switch 70 for controlling't he the handle 67 as may bedesired. It will be seen that by my invention, I have provided aconstruction of scrubbing machine in whic'hthe bottom portion of anelectric motor is provided with triangular shaped brackets whichcooperate with the base or frame of the. machine in. the supporting ofthe gears from and by'whic-h the disk shaped scrubbing brushes arerockingly supported.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Pate cut is:

1. In a scrubbing machine, the combinat-ion of an electric motor havingbrackets extending laterally from a header thereof, a. supporting framefor the said motor, connections between the said brackets and the saidframe, gears having connection with the said brackets and with the saidframe a with the said gears.

2. In a-scrubbing machine, the combina tion of an electric motor havinga detachable header provided with radially extending brackets, a gearcasing upon the top of which the said motor is supported, means forconnecting the said brackets tothe said casing to secure the motor inplace thereon, gears situated in'the said gear casing, each of the saidgears being provided with projections arranged inspiaced relation toeach other and extending downwardly therefrom, one of which projectionsof each gear is situated concentrically thereof and is ta.- pered, andbrushes each of which has a central cylindrical opening through which aconcentrically situated projection extends, and the said brushesalsoeach having openings into which the otherprojections of each gearextend, the said openings being of greater diameter than the saidprojections, substantially as described. j

' 3. In a scrubbing machine, the combination of a gear casing, gearssituated within the said casing, which gears are in mesh with" s'aidgeairs and brushes having rocking connection tions, one of whichislocated concentrically of the gear from which it projects,'and theothers of which are located eocentrioally thereof, the first of saidprojections tapered, and brushes, the backs of each of which areprovided with a plurality of cylindrioal openings arranged in spacedrelation to each other with which the said projections are adapted toengage.

4. In a scrubbing machine, the combination of a gear casing providedwith top and bottom portions, the bottom of which is provided withopenings, which openings are situated adjacent the opposite ends of thecasing, a couple of gears located in the said casing, which gears are inmesh with each other, means for rotating the said gears, each of thesaid gears being provided with a centrally located downwardly extendingportion having depending projections in spaced relation to each other,one of which is concentrically located with respect to the gear fromwhich it projects and is tapered, and brushes, each of which is providedwith a plurality of openings, one of which is concentrically locatedwith respect to thesaid brushes and is adapted to be engaged by the saidconcentrically situated tapered projection, and the others of which areadapted to be engaged by the eccentrically situated projections,substantially as described.

5. In a scrubbing machine, the combination of a gear casing having topand bottom portions,- the latter of which is provided with openingsarranged in adjacent relation to the opposite ends of the said casing, acouple of gears rotatably supported within the said casing each of whichis provided with a depending central portion having tapered dependingprojections, one of which is located concentrically of the gear fromwhich it depends, brushes, the backs of which are provided withcylindrical openings arranged in spaced relation to each other and with.which the said projections are adapted to be engaged, means forretaining the said brushes upon the said projections, and means forcausing rotation of the said gears.

. 6. In a scrubbing machine, the combination of a flat closed casing,the bottom of which is provided'with a couple of openings arranged inadjacent relation to the opposite ends of the said casing, a couple ofgears rotatably mounted within said casing, which gears are in mesh witheach other and each of which is provided with a depending portion whichprojects through one of the said openings, each depending portion beingbeing tion of an electric motor which gears are in mesh ed upon providedwith a centrally located tapered projection and with projectionssituated upon opposite sides of the said centrally located projection,brushes, the backs of which are each provided with openings, one ofwhich is located centrally of the back in which it is located and iscylindrical, and the others of which are located upon the, oppositesides of the centrally located openings, which openings are adapted tobe engaged by the said projections, means for securing the said brushesto the said projections, and means for causing rotation of the saidgears and of the said brushes.

7. In a scrubbing machine, the combination of an electric motor having adetachable header provided with laterally extending brackets, a gearcasing, means for securing said brackets tosaid casing, brushes, meansintermediate the said motor and the said brushes whereby the latter areadapted to be rotated, and a wheel supporting frame having connectionwith the side of the said motor at the rear of the said scrubbingmachine, the said frame being vertically adjustable with respect to thesaid motor.

8. In a scrubbing machine, the combinahaving a header provided withradially and horizontally arranged brackets, a gear casing, means forsecuring said brackets to the said casing, a couple of gears locatedwithin said casing, with each other, the upper sides of which gears areprovided with recesses therein, and the lower sides of which areprovided with depending portions, cylindrical members projecting fromthe top of said easing into the said recesses, bolts extending throughthe said cylindrical members and through the top of the casing and thesaid brackets for supporting the said cylindrical members against theunder side of the said top, bearings interposed between the saidcylindrical members and the said gears whereby the latter arerotatablysupported thereon, and a gear pinion mountthe shaft of the said motorand being in engagement with one of the said gears to efiect rotationthereof in one direction, the other gear being opposite direction, andthe brushes respectively having rocking connection with the said gears,substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have hereuntosigned my name this 12th day of December, A. D., 1923.

JOHN HERB.

thereby rotated in the

